This application generally relates to accessories for vehicles, and more particularly to towing devices for vehicles.
Motor vehicles such as pick-up trucks typically have one or more tow hooks attached to their structure at suitable locations for towing purposes. Most often, tow hooks are mounted on the vehicle's front rail and extend through an aperture in the vehicle's bumper to project outwards. Some arrangements have tow hooks projecting from beneath the bumper in order to retain the vehicle's outer aesthetics. Tow hooks themselves are usually formed from solid material, such as steel. Typical shapes are hooks, lunettes, or elongated D's.
Conventional tow hook assemblies include one or more solid steel attachment devices, along with fasteners, shaped to receive a tow hook and attached to the vehicle's front rail. That structure strengthens the front rail locally, but it undesirably affects the vehicle during a crash event. Ideally, a vehicle is structured to absorb a crash impact in a predictable, progressive manner, following a pattern in which structural deformation starts at the vehicle's front, and progressively crumpling subsequent rearward. Adding a tow hook assembly to the front rail reduces the crushable zone and may require additional design actions to maintain planned crumpling during a front crash event.
In addition, the tow hook attachment may result in a longer vehicle, which may become a challenge when parking in tighter parking spaces. Vehicle storage may also prove difficult.
Another difficulty with conventional tow hook design arises in positioning standard sensors to a vehicle exterior. More particularly, as sensor systems, such as parking assist systems, have standard configuration and installation procedures, which may not accommodate differing tow hook designs and arrangements.
Thus, the art has yet to provide a tow hook assembly that allows for convenient towing and while also optimizing the vehicle's ability to absorb the crash energy.